Impact of baseline IOP, vacuum, and different docking mechanisms, and their interaction on IOP rise in femtosecond laser-assisted refractive and cataract surgery.

Siegfried Mariacher, Peter Laubichler, M Mariacher, Jascha Wendelstein, Isaak Fischinger, Matthias Bolz

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Purpose To study the intraocular pressure (IOP) variation during vacuum and docking of femtosecond laser application. Setting Department for Ophthalmology, Kepler University Hospital, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Austria. Design Experimental study. Methods Intracameral intraocular pressure (IOP) was monitored in 30 porcine ex vivo models using a dual femtosecond laser platform (VICTUS). Five different baseline IOP levels (10 to 30 mm Hg) were assessed during fluid-filled (liquid) docking, full-contact (applanating) docking, and vacuum application without docking. Results Raising the baseline intracameral IOP from 10 to 30 mm Hg increased the IOP from 27.55 mm Hg ± 5.93 (SD) to 56.85 ± 6.10 mm Hg in the fluid-filled docking group, and from 60.91 ± 8.41 mm Hg to 90.11 ± 6.64 mm Hg in the full-contact docking group. The full-contact docking procedure per se (excluding vacuum effect) increased the IOP by 61.7% (+36.58 ± 5.84 mm Hg). In contrast, fluid-filled docking (excluding vacuum effect) raised the IOP by only 3.1% (+0.72 ± 2.71 mm Hg). Each 5 mm Hg reduction of baseline IOP resulted in a mean IOP reduction of 7.33 ± 3.05 mm Hg in the fluid-filled group, and 7.30 ± 6.88 mm Hg in the full-contact docking group (P < .001). Decreasing baseline intracameral IOP from 15 to 10 mm Hg resulted in the highest IOP reduction between all subgroups (P < .01). Conclusions Baseline IOP, docking procedures, and vacuum influenced IOP during femtosecond laser application in a synergistic manner. Lowering the baseline intracameral IOP resulted in a significantly lower IOP during fluid-filled docking for cataract surgery and full-contact docking for refractive surgery. Full-contact (applanating) docking resulted in a significantly higher IOP elevation compared with similar IOP values found during fluid-filled (liquid) docking and the application of the suction ring alone without docking.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1818-1825
Number of pages8
JournalJournal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery
Volume45
Issue number12
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Dec 2019

Fields of science

  • 302 Clinical Medicine

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